...Opponents doubted that the Norfolk line could be built for the revised cost estimate of $202M & operated at the revised estimated $6.2M annual cost; the FTA regarded the cost estimate as significantly lower than comparable LRT sys under construction in the US. This project has been mismanaged & the cost was based on false information. We should cut our losses & eliminate the wasteful spending by demanding that this project be canceled immediately.

3 years ago I completed a UVA research paper on the Norfolk LRT project, which showed that it would have huge cost overruns due to manipulation of the construction, maint costs & optimistic estimates. The initial estimate for the cost of the original 18 mi sys was estimated at $375M ($21M/mi), however when the scaled back to obtain approval from the FTA it was estimated to cost $360M ($49M/mi). This estimate did not meet federal cost-effectiveness standards, so it was slashed to $202M. The final project plan was approved at $232M ($31M/mile). Opponents doubted that the Norfolk line could be built for the revised cost estimate of $202M & operated at the revised estimated $6.2M annual cost; the FTA regarded the cost estimate as significantly lower t

They should all go to jail and Virginia Beach should have nothing to do with light rail. We have to many projects as it is. Now they want to fund OP Sails. Townend, Williams and other Norfolk leaders should have known about the fraud if they didn't they should have. These people are leaders they get paid to work harder for us but then again they want a bigger paycheck but don't want to work for it. The whole leadership is resigning and taking home huge retirement benefits that the tax payers have to pay for. But this is what we get for listening to lies. The average person needs to start standing up and running for office, we may do better but we would do no worse. Stealing is stealing, lying is lying and fraud is fraud. What happened to accountabili

It's interesting how the vocal pro-LRT crowd is silent on this story.

So let me see if I get this straight...Somehow officials at HRT believed that no one was going to find this out and that they and their pet project should not be held responsible?

According to the voting public at large, these leaders are doing a great job. Maybe if taking the time to vote was as easy as sitting and typing complaints then we would see action behind this weak-willed apathetic "passion." Until you become we the people, then shut it! The world has enough cry babies, and not enough persons of action.

I couldn't believe my eyes when HRT exec Michael Townes got an entire years' salary for "resigning" from his job after totally mismanaging the light rail project to the the tune of $100 million plus dollars. Now I'm REALLY angry. Why do we keep re-electing these bozos (Norfolk City Council)? In any real business this guy would have been unceremoniously fired. In the world of politics he gets a huge bonus and a "thank you for your years of service."

It absolutely stinks.

I think the 25 "no" votes were made by the local transit officials who withheld information on light rail cost overruns.

No, The Federal goverment knew before the project got started that there would be overuns. Most, if not all Light Rail projects have had cost overruns. Please be honest this stuff has been going on for years. The contractors low bad the bids & the transit folks accept the bids. Lets be honest this has been going on for years. We all know this pratice may be stop maybe by the time our grandkids reach 65.

NSU ZR1 #906